Written by: Craig Colvett

“I’m successful and in a good place with my life, so why would I need a Life Coach?”

This is often what I hear when I tell people what I do. They think, “I don’t need someone to tell me how to live my life” or “I’m successful, a Life Coach is unnecessary.”

The truth is, there is something crucial in your success that exemplifies a primary reason people choose to work with Life Coaches. That crucial component is awareness of what you are lacking. Think about what’s made you successful; intelligence, drive, discipline, attention to detail and more. Embedded in you is an ability to evaluate yourself and then work to improve your weaknesses, while simultaneously sharpening your strengths. You’re used to asking yourself, “How can I be better?”

How did you recognize that you wanted to improve?

What was your motivation to improve?

Was it money, recognition, filling an emotional void?

Maybe you recognized these areas for improvement and motives on your own, but more likely somebody gave you feedback or asked you questions that evoked awareness. If so, it was their additional perspective that helped illuminate how you could improve, and that improvement ultimately led you to greater success [i.e. a promotion, new job etc.].

Additionally, you spent time honing your craft. In doing this, you recognized that self-improvement would benefit you, give you more options, and help you achieve your goals.

Working with a Life Coach allows you to accomplish all of this with intentional focus and structure. It’s a commitment to oneself to improve any aspect of one’s life and/or experience life more fully.

Life Coaches work with people committed to a growth mindset.

People who view problems as opportunities.

People who believe our brains can adapt.

People who are willing to continuously learn.

People who know that who we are now and where we came from does not determine who we can be.

Why is a Life Coach effective?

In short, because they’re not you. They don’t have the attachments, thought patterns, worries or predetermined outcomes that may get in your way. The coach is educated and trained to approach your engagement as an objective 3rd party.

While your friends, colleagues or supervisors can provide feedback, that feedback comes from a subjective place. They are personally invested in the outcome.

Your boss wants you to get better because it benefits them.

Your friend has an idea of what they think is best based on their view of what you should do.

Everyone has an agenda and/or bias, whether they know it or not.

A professional coach listens to what you say and how you say it and asks you questions to help you see even deeper and more clearly than you can on your own. They allow you to explore the outcomes that will best serve you while always maintaining your purpose and your agenda at the center of their work. So the decision to work with a coach is really about using your awareness of what you are lacking and combining that with someone who can objectively challenge you in a constructive way.

So ask yourself this: is there a downside to speaking with a Life Coach?